LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – The start of every college basketball season brings with it a new batch of highly touted freshmen ready to make their mark. These days, it also brings with it a new batch of transfers.
The number of players switching teams continues to grow as they seek fresh starts, more playing time or a change of scenery. And the movement isn’t relegated to smaller schools, either. Rodney Hood helped Duke go 26-9 last season after transferring from Mississippi State, and T.J. McConnell helped Arizona reach the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament after arriving from Duquesne.
With that in mind, here are some of the transfers to keep an eye on this season:
TEXAS TRIO: After sitting out last season under the NCAA’s transfer rules, ex-Longhorns Shelden McClellan, Julien Lewis and Jaylen Bond are finally ready to contribute again.
McClellan, who averaged 13.5 points as a sophomore at Texas, will be joining Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez and Oklahoma State transfer Kamari Murphy at Miami. Lewis has landed at Fresno State, and Bond will be suiting up for Temple this season. All three were key components for the Longhorns a couple of years ago, when they went 16-18 and failed to make the NCAA tournament.